whats the easiest way to ship a handgun?

[JALLEN]

The first time I had to ship a gun, I got into a huge row with UPS over it, and it turned out the problem was that guns cannot be shipped from the neighborhood office, the Kinkos-Mail Box Etc. type stores. You have to go to the main facility in the city. Nobody bothered to explain that as the problem, which would have been easy to understand if it had been.

The next problem came up because I was shipping to a gunsmith for repairs, but the addressee was a person, not Jeremiah's Gun Repair etc. or the manufacturer. That one I did get straightened out, with a lot of patience.

It isn't that expensive, once you get them to do it, overnight, air freight.

You must tell them when you deliver the package for shipment that it is a gun, but the exterior of the package may not say that.

[alexrex20]

ship it UPS Ground and don't declare it as a handgun. it's not illegal, it's just against UPS company policy.

or FedEx, same difference.

...
just food for thought.

Here's more food for thought: Just because YOU think it's ok doesn't make it legal. It is, in fact, ILLEGAL to not declare a firearm. Period.

Q: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

Good thing you never got caught, eh?

I can't get caught if I've never done it. I've only had to ship a handgun a few times, and I just ponied up the $60 and shipped it FedEx Priority Overnight. I was just relaying the method I know many other people use.

Shipping through an FFL and USPS is gonna be about $20 plus their fee. Some will do it for free for good customers, or maybe only $10, but most around me charge $35. That's $55.

Skirting the law and shipping UPS/FedEx Ground is gonna be about $20 once you insure it.

I don't see the point of NOT spending the extra bucks to ship UPS/FedEx Overnight. But some people will do anything to try and save a buck...

[OldCannon]

I can't get caught if I've never done it. I've only had to ship a handgun a few times, and I just ponied up the $60 and shipped it FedEx Priority Overnight. I was just relaying the method I know many other people use.

My apologies for the implication. At least you're clearer on the law now, and can let your friends know (either before they ship or, for the friends you don't like so much, after they're behind bars )

[alexrex20]

I can't get caught if I've never done it. I've only had to ship a handgun a few times, and I just ponied up the $60 and shipped it FedEx Priority Overnight. I was just relaying the method I know many other people use.

My apologies for the implication. At least you're clearer on the law now, and can let your friends know (either before they ship or, for the friends you don't like so much, after they're behind bars )

No apology necessary. :)

And yes, that would be a stupid reason to go to jail.

[texassierra]

I've sold and shipped two handguns in the last month with one going out today. Both went FedEx 2-day. Each time I declared that a handgun was enclosed. Both times the FedEx employee asked how I wanted them shipped and when I replied the cheapest way they said they could go 2-day. The first one went from DFW to Arkansas at less than $30 with insurance. I'm not sure the cost of the other as shipping was billed to the buyers account. Just FYI.

[wheelgun1958]

You might try Lone Star Overnight. Check their service guide here for rules.

[straybrit]

In my experience (shipping my competition guns for servicing) get the receiver to fax you a copy of his FFL and take that along to UPS. As long as the name and address match even California UPS will take it. They don't like it - but they will take it.

FedEx in NorCal will take them - but the twice I did it they took >3 hours to 'make sure everything was just right'. Yeah I was stupid to do it the second time.

[Mhoward]

Take it apart, ship pieces in two different packages. Any laws on shipping parts?

[OldCannon]

Take it apart, ship pieces in two different packages. Any laws on shipping parts?

Yes, one of those parts is the receiver, which IS a firearm. The ATF is clear about this.

[bayouhazard]

I followed the law but didn't worry so much about company policy. I went to one of their stores and described the contents by make and model. They let me ship it ground.

Works for me.